3 Pointers You Must Follow For First Time Mobile App Strategy

‘Our Mobile Planet’ report of Google reveals that every day, almost 2 hours are spent by an Australian on their smartphone. Almost 90% of people use their smartphones to search local information, 78% research about new products, and 41% make purchases through their smartphones. These figures, along with the focus of smartphone users on mobile apps, clearly indicate how this is a lucrative industry waiting for new entrants. However, the completion in this industry is huge and to succeed, one needs to know what the concept of MVP or Minimum Viable Product is.

For start-ups, a product needs to have minimum experience plus viability of future growth in order for it to be considered a good enough product to be further built on. Now, when you negotiate a mobile strategy, you should know where to start. These 3 pointers will clear most of your doubts –

1) What Are The Necessary Features to Further the Idea and What Are the Differentiating Features That Can Be Grown Later? – When you use the MVP model for mobile apps, your initial iterations must focus on the very basics. Scalability is the key word and you should pay attention to it over vigorous functionality, for the time being. For instance, if an accounting app is to be created, it needs the following basic features –

Basic information about accounting;

Accounting formulas;

Financial formulas;

Accounting terms; and

Accounting abbreviations.

Since accounting apps are common, you have to research about the user demographics to educate yourself about what they want. To find out what the MVP should look like, critical reception of the product is also important. Next is the distinguishing feature in your app. For instance, add debits, credits (journal) and ledger abilities to your basic accounting app as well. These additional features would make the customers differentiate you from the big and popular names involved in the same kind of app.

2) Minimizing Technical Debt Using MVP Model – When it comes to apps and app development, the competition is intense. Also, when you try a new thing, your planning taxes you, requiring you to work with efficiency and to always stay a step ahead. However, because of the severe competition in first time mobile apps, you not only have to be innovative but also, work with the technologies that are emerging to choose what you do with your brand, predict moves and improve on a continuous basis. The biggest pressure in technical debt is the want to release the product before the changes are done and it is ready. However, you can deal with the time constraints that are sure to follow later with your first time app project by simplifying your initial strategy.

3) Promotion of MVP App As Finished Product – Do you remember the guitar playing app ‘Instinct’ which taught users about basic guitar playing? When the app was first released, it only came with a leaderboard which was extremely minimalistic, a few scales, and barely a track of lessons. However, the marketing of the app was done so efficiently that users believed this was the best app for guitar learning in the market. The reason – they promoted it as if it were a finished product. The buzz that this app created was unmatched because of this promotion. Now, almost a year later, the app has a built in tuner with online music classes and is a success.

This shows that promotion your MVP app as a finished product will create excitement in your users, so that any changes you make and add to your product will just further their interest in your app.

Always remember that all huge and famous apps were once MVP products and that is how they grew and succeeded. If you are curious about how to use the MVP model to your advantage and want us to help you out with a first time app strategy, contact us.